Which studio was the lead developer of Call of Duty 3?

Treyarch was the lead developer of Call of Duty 3. Published by Activision, the 2006 game was Treyarch’s major entry in the main Call of Duty series and followed the studio’s earlier Call of Duty 2: Big Red One.

Call of Duty 3 is set during World War II and depicts the Allied advance after the Normandy landings. Its campaign follows American, British, Canadian, and Polish forces during the Battle for Caen and the broader Normandy breakout. The game emphasized squad-based combat and introduced more interactive melee and vehicle sequences than some earlier entries.

The release was notable because it was the first major main-series Call of Duty game not developed by Infinity Ward. Treyarch used its own internal NGL engine and delivered versions for PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii.

A frequent mistake is assuming the numbered sequel was made by the studio behind the first two main games. Treyarch’s role helped establish the alternating-developer model that later became central to the franchise’s release schedule.